Patrick's budget calls for closing Taunton State Hospital

Wednesday

Jan 22, 2014 at 4:09 PMJan 22, 2014 at 11:00 PM

Local lawmakers are preparing for another budget battle over Taunton State Hospital.

The Executive Office of Administration and Finance confirmed Wednesday that the governor's budget proposal was drafted under the assumption that all remaining patient beds at Taunton State Hospital will be transferred to the Worcester Recovery Center during fiscal 2015.

Gerry Tuoti Wicked Local Newsbank Editor

Local lawmakers are preparing for another budget battle over Taunton State Hospital.

The Executive Office of Administration and Finance confirmed Wednesday that the governor's budget proposal was drafted under the assumption that all remaining patient beds at Taunton State Hospital will be transferred to the Worcester Recovery Center during fiscal 2015.

"This allows us to invest resources in community settings rather than institutional care," explained Emme Schultz, assistant secretary for budget and finance operations.

For two years, many local legislators have been at odds with the Patrick Administration's plans to close Taunton State Hospital. The original plan called for shuttering the hospital by 2013, transferring many patients to a new mental health facility in Worcester and increasing community placements.

In each of the past two state budget cycles, legislators have successfully opposed that plan.

"I spoke with the secretary and he told me once again they are proposing to close Taunton State," state Rep. Patricia Haddad, D-Somerset, said, recalling a recent conversation with Health and Human Services Secretary John Polanowicz. "I told the secretary once again I didn't see that happening."

Spurred by opposition from Taunton-area legislators, the House and Senate passed budgets last year to provide funding to keep Taunton State open at a reduced capacity of 45 beds. Full capacity was nearly 170 beds.

"I still maintain it is very important to have the complete continuum of services in every region of the state," Haddad said. "You would never tell a person with a heart attack they could only go to Worcester. You would never tell people they're limited in where they could do rehabilitation. You would never tell a person with a broken leg they could only go to Worcester."

The Legislature also authorized the creation of the Mental Health Advisory Committee, which hired a consultant to produce a report on committee recommendations. The report is due March 1, although Haddad, the committee's House chairwoman, said it may just be a preliminary report released in March.

As the state advisory committee prepares to release the study on mental health services in Massachusetts, state Rep. Shaunna O'Connell is calling for expanding services at Taunton State Hospital.

"I see Taunton State fitting in," said O'Connell, R-Taunton, a member of the advisory committee. "I think things that have become very clear are that we have a lack of inpatient and outpatient services in the state, particularly in the southeast area."

O'Connell is advocating for restoring and expanding inpatient services at Taunton State Hospital, as well as adding day outpatient services, substance abuse treatment, educational programs and job training.

State Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton, said he is concerned with administration efforts to "privatize" mental health services and consolidate hospital-based services in Worcester.

"I still think the department is completely missing the point about what is taking place with mental health patients in the commonwealth and how they are becoming a greater percentage of our prison population," Pacheco said. "Unfortunately these individuals are not getting the treatment they deserve and need… The one place we have that safety net is Worcester."

Pacheco, O'Connell and Haddad each said they plan to once again oppose the administration's plans.

Some groups, such as the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, have supported the plan because they believe there should be an increased emphasis on community placements.

The Massachusetts Nurses Association/National Nurses United opposes the plan.

"It's a battle we've been through before," said Taunton State nurse Karen Coughlin, vice president of MNA/NNU. "My feeling has not changed about it. We believe there is a critical shortage of beds. Once again, this is a misguided proposal and does a disservice to the patients we try so desperately to take care of."

While she said she doesn't necessarily oppose a "community first" approach to care, she stressed that some patients need care that can only be administered in an inpatient setting.

Local patients whose conditions cannot be treated in a community care setting would be separated from family, friends and community support if Taunton State beds were eliminated, Coughlin said.

Schultz said that according to administration budget projections, the plan that includes closing Taunton State Hospital would make an additional $6 million available to invest in other mental health services in southeastern Massachusetts and create 100 new jobs. The plan was adopted, she said, after a previous independent legislative study determined a increasing community-based care opportunities would better serve the state's mentally ill population by empowering patients to live more independently with appropriate support.

Pacheco disputed the administration's claims, saying that the jobs created would be backfilling ones lost by moving the hospital beds to Worcester.

"We will have a net job loss as a result if the implement their total plan," he said.

Patrick's budget calls for $712.3 million for mental health services in fiscal 2015, a $4 million increase over what is projected for the current fiscal year.